Philadelphia Eagles Draft Grades

The NFL Draft wrapped up this past weekend and the Philadelphia Eagles welcomed in a new batch of rookies who will look to make an impact in this upcoming 2020 season. Some picks were applauded by fans while others left a few of us clueless.

I’m here to grade each selection (10) that the Eagles made last week and breakdown each player as well. Let me know what you think of the grades and whether or not you like/dislike this Eagles draft class!

Round 1 Pick 21: Jalen Reagor WR, TCU

If you read my mock draft you’ll know that I love Jalen Reagor. His speed and big play ability is a perfect fit for what this Philadelphia offense needs.

Reagor ran an unofficial 4.22 in his Pro-Day, which is no surprise if you’ve seen him in game action. Last season, Reagor was clocked in at 22.6 MPH while he ran away from defenders in a game against Stanford. That would’ve been the fastest play in the NFL, topping both Tyreek Hill and Matt Breida who were a few decimals behind.

I firmly believe that Reagor has the chance to be a top tier receiver in this league. Speaking from a positional and skill set fit, the Eagles nailed this selection late in the 1st round.

Grade: B+

Round 2 Pick 53: Jalen Hurts QB, Oklahoma

No one would’ve thought that Jalen Hurts would be selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2nd round of last week’s draft. The odds in Vegas were +5500 with every position outside of Kicker/Punter having more favorable numbers.

The Eagles have a franchise Quarterback in Carson Wentz and with other holes that need to be addressed, taking a backup QB so early is questionable. And when you consider the amount of talent left on the board (AJ Epenesa, Denzel Mims, Kristian Fulton, Logan Wilson, etc.), the selection hurts even more.

I love Hurts as a prospect but from a positional fit, he just doesn’t fit what the Eagles should’ve been looking for at that point in the draft. With that in mind, I can’t give Philadelphia a passing grade here.

Grade: D+

Round 3 Pick 103: Davion Taylor LB, Colorado

Taylor was an interesting pick on Day 2 of the draft. The thing that instantly jumps out at you when watching him is his speed and sure tackling ability. He’s basically a hybrid between the S/LB positions.

From an experience standpoint, he’s a bit behind. Taylor only played 1 game of high school football due to religion. He would then pick up in JUCO before transferring into Colorado and making a name for himself.

Overall, Taylor is a project for Philadelphia. He has all of the tools to succeed at the next level be he’ll need to be coached up before we see him making a big impact. Luckily though, his athletic ability should make him valuable in special teams early on.

Grade: C

Round 4 Pick 127: K’Von Wallace S, Clemson

A 3 year starter in an elite collegiate program, Wallace is hard not to like. His versatility allows him to be all over the field, coming down against the run and dropping in zone coverage.

From a physical standpoint, he isn’t going to impress you but he makes up for it with advanced IQ and instincts at the safety position.

The Eagles got a terrific value for where they took Wallace at. A former roommate of the son of Brian Dawkins, it was almost destined for him to be in Philadelphia.

Grade: A-

Round 4 Pick 145: Jack Driscoll OL, Auburn

Another very solid pick comes in the 4th round with Auburn’s Jack Driscoll. Everything about Driscoll screams Jason Kelce. Although he has a size advantage over Kelce, they both tested very similar at the combine.

With Driscoll’s ability to play multiple spots across the line, he provides a ton of value for Philadelphia who lost a lot of depth to free agency. Expect the Eagles to transition him to the center position and be a potential replacement for Kelce, who has hinted at retirement the past few years.

Grade: B-

Round 5 Pick 168: John Hightower WR, Boise State

Speed is the common trait with just about every pick. Hightower fits the bill as he actually went to Hinds Community College right out of high school to run track. His football career took off and he eventually transferred into Boise State where he became a legit NFL prospect.

Although he was taken in the 5th round by the Eagles, a lot of scouts said he would be a 3rd round pick in any other draft. Hightower sometimes struggles with drops and high pointing the ball but his upside athletically is there.

He fits what the Eagles need on offense which is speed and even if he doesn’t take big steps forward in his first year he could be a real threat on special teams.

Grade: B-

Round 6 Pick 196: Shaun Bradley LB, Temple

The Eagles took a New Jersey native with their first pick in the 6th round. Bradley doesn’t have great speed or quickness but he rarely misses a tackle. His solo tackle rate was 65% which is very impressive.

With the lack of real depth at the linebacker position, Bradley will have a real good shot at playing early on if he impresses.

Just like every player on this list so far, Bradley plays hard and gives everything he has. I don’t know if he’ll be a successful NFL player but I do know you will get as much out of him as possible.

Grade: C+

Round 6 Pick 200: Quez Watkins WR, Southern Miss

In my mock draft, I had the Eagles taking Watkins in the 6th round so I’m a big fan of the selection. Once again, this is another speed guy who clocked the 2nd fastest 40-yard dash time at the combine (4.35).

Watkins isn’t a one trick pony like many “speed guys” are. He creates good separation and has the leaping ability to go up for jump balls.

An early focus for Watkins will be adding weight so durability isn’t an issue but seeing that he’ll be in a NFL weight room, that shouldn’t be any problem.

Grade: B+

Round 6 Pick 210: Prince Tega Wanogho OT, Auburn

This was one of the more surprising falls in the draft. Prince was supposed to go between rounds 3 and 4 but fell to the Eagles in the 6th due to a knee injury.

Originally coming over from Nigeria to become a basketball player, Prince quickly became a standout on the football field which brings us to the present day.

If healthy, Prince could provide valuable depth at either of the tackle positions with upside to start later down the road. Although his technique needs some cleaning up, his footwork and strength are there. For the spot he was selected at, this is a low risk-high reward scenario.

Grade: A

Round 7 Pick 233: Casey Toohill LB, Stanford

Toohill becomes the third player selected at the linebacker position for the Eagles and he brings something that the other two don’t which is size.

His length and strength made up for his lack of quickness and speed in college but it’s definitely something the Eagles will need to improve on. He has good instincts and excels predominantly as a pass rusher.

Not a lot is expected of Toohill with him being a 7th round selection but it’ll be interesting to see if he can develop some quickness and become a legit threat off the edge.